Railroad-tie plate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

L. A. BOWER.

RAILROAD TIE PLATE.

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RAILROAD TIB PLATE.

NO. 552,875. Patented Jah. 7, 1896.

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d lx* UQ El R @Agi A a L" n Suva/nib@ @RR-Mmmm 'J l, M /y/wfjz, 513,@wmf y A* f Mama/lf2 ttomlcu UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica IIEYVIS A.BONVER, OF WIILMINGTON, DELAVARE.

RAILROAD-TI E PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,87 5, dated January7, 1896.

Application ledllovemhel 20, 1894. Serial No. 529,431. (No model.)

To all wbmn t may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS A. BOWER, a citizen ot' the 'United States,and a resident of ll'vilinington, in the count;7 of New Castle and Stateof' Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad- Tic llates, ot which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to anew article of manufacture-to Wit, animprovement in what are known as rai lroad-tie plates -that is to say, aplate to be interposed between arail and a Wooden tie, for purposesWhich will be hereinafter more fully referred to.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in whichlike letters refer to like parts.

Figure I is a plan view of the plate. Fig. II is an end view' of thesame. Fig. III is a side view of the same, showing a section of therail. Fig. IV is a pla-n view otl the under side of the plate. Fig. V isa perspective view of the saine.

A is a metal plate, provided With spikeholes a and a2, which arepreferably inade square and adapted to receive the spikes by which therail is secured to the tie.

a3 and a* are lugs, preferably made as part of the plate, and slightlyelevated above its top surface. These lugs are adapted to engage thatflange of the rail which is on the outside of the track.

a5, u, al, and usare llanges, preferably ina-de as part of' the plate,and projecting from the under side thereof at right angles to thesurface of the plate. These flan ges are arranged on the opposite sideof the plate from that on which the lugs are located, and in thefollowing arrangement: Granted that the plate is in the form of arectangle, I arrange the flanges d5, d, u?, and u? in the lines of thehypotenuses of two right-angled and equal triangles, the base of each ofsaid triangles being' onehalf the line of the outside of' the plate ad joining the lugs of and d4. The longitudinal axis ot' the plate is a linecommonl to both of said triangles, and forms a right angle with the basereferred to, and the apexes of said right-angled and equal trianglesterminate at a point common to both. I prefer that the angle should beapproximately that shown in the drawings. The angle at which theseflanges are arranged is of material importance, for the reason that itWill be observed that the greater the angle the greater number of thefibers of the Wooden tie Will be crossed by the flanges when it isplaced in position on the tie, and therefore the greater resistance willbe formed to the driving of the flanges into the tie, and the consequentseating of the plate flush with the tie. It is, therefore, of thegreatest importance that the angle at which the flanges divergeoutwardly should be as small as possible consistent with the purpose forwhich they are made to diverge-that is to say, the gripping by them ofthe heart of the tie as opposed to an ont- Ward or lateral movement ofthe plate-the operation thereof being more fully referred tohereinafter. These flanges may be said to be located in lines divergin gtoward the outside of the plate, and when I refer hereinafter to thelocation of said flanges in lines divergent I desire to be understood asre ferring` to the arrangement above described. I also place the flangesa5 and al across the line of the outside of the rail, and the flanges aand as across the line of the inside of the rail. Then I refer to theselines I mean lines run along the outside or inside of the rail when inposition on the plate, and I place these flanges across said lines atthe points indicated for the purpose of bracing the plates at thosepoints, for the reason that I consider that the greatest strain on theplate is at those points. In Fig. I these flanges are indicated bydotted lines. I prefer to make them in the forni of a V-that is to say,broad at the base and tapering to an edge; but I find under someconditions that it is desirable to make these flanges with one side atright angles to the plate and the other side beveled and at an acuteangle to the plate, thus making a chisel-edge, as shown in Fig. V. lVhenthis form of' flange is used, I prefer to make the rect-angular surfaceof the flanges opposed to a similar rectangular surface opposed thereto.In practice this plate is interposed between the rail and the Woodentie, the lugs as and at being on the outside of the rail. I thenintroduce suitable spikes through the spike-holes a' and (1,2, and drivethe saine home in the usual manner of secur ing a rail to a tie. It willbe understood that IOO as the spikes are driven home the flanges a5, a",a7, and a8 are driven into the wooden tie until the under surface of theplate rests flush with the surface of the tie. The operation of thisplate is to form a seat for the rail and to protect the tie from wear.It also acts as a support for the rail and relieves the spikes .from thepressure incident to the spreading of the rail. The lugs on the top andoutside of the rail receive the outward and lateral pressure of therail. This pressure is particularly noticeable on the outside of curves,but it is present wherever the car-wheels are passing over a track. Thispressure on the lugs has a tendency to cause the plate to move laterallyand outwardly, and the underlying flanges above described are providedto prevent this outward and lateral movement. The manner of theiroperation is as follows: The angle at which the flanges are caused todiverge outwardly is as nearly parallel with the grain of the wood ofthe tie as is consistent with the resistance required and the purposefor which they are caused to diverge. The purpose of this slightdivergence is to permit the ready introduction of the flanges into thetie. The greater the divergence the greater the number of the fibers ofthe wood will be crossed bythe flanges when they are set in position tobe driven into the tie, and the greater the force required to drive saidflanges into the tie. The divergence is, however, sufficient when theflanges are driven into the tie and the under side of the plate is flushwith the surface of the tie for the flanges to present to each other aresistance to an outward and lateral pressure upon the lugs by the rail.Then such pressure is exerted upon the tie-plate the flanges grip theheart of the tie, into which they are driven, and the wood of the tieforms a wedge between such flanges, effectually presenting to andbetween said flanges a resistance to such lateral movement. Thisresistance is positive and certain, for the reason that the heart of thetie is the most solid part thereof, and when presented as a wedgebetween the flanges becomes a wedge that holds the plate rigid andfirmly in position as opposed to said outward movement. It will be notedalso that I have placed the flanges under and across the outside linesof the rail. These are the lines of the greatest pressure upon theplate, and it is along these lines that the plate is liable to bend orbuckle. I find that it is sufficient to lend stiffness to the plate toplace the flanges in the positions that I have indicated.

It will be readily understood that in the operation last described theplate effectually bears the greater part of any lateral pressure thatmay be exerted upon the rail and that between the lugs on the top of theplate and the flanges which grip the heart of the tie the greatresistance to such outward pressure is found. Of course there is aco-operation between the operation of the plate and thespikes, but it isintended that the plate Shall need that has long been felt in railroadcon- 1f struction, but which has never been satisfactorily supplied. Thedifficulties encountered in such plates may be briefly stated as followsThe first tie-plates consisted simply of a thin sheet of metal with twospike-holes suitably arranged. This metal plate was interposed betweenthe rail and the tie, and the spikes were driven home in the usualmanner. In practice it was found that tie-plates of this constructionbuckled under the weight of the rail and under constant friction movedlaterally and bore upon the spikes, until by constant wear the spikeswould be severed. It became necessary therefore in the construction ofthe plates to overcome these two difficultiesthat is to say, thebuckling of thc plate and the lateral movement thereof-and to accomplishboth of these results with that economy of material and constructionwhich is requisite in an article of this character in order that thesame maybe commercial. In solving` these difficulties I have found thatthe point or points at which the tie-plate needs strength to prevent thebuckling of the same under the pressure of the rail thereon incident tothe weight of the load carried is immediately under the lines of theoutside of the rail, commonly known as the base of the rail, and thatinbracing' the rail for this purpose it is only necessary to braceimmediately beneath these lines. I have therefore disposed or arrangedthe flanges a5, a, a7, and as across these lines, and have made themonly of sufficient length to act as a brace for the plate immediatelyunder these lines and consistent with the lateral pressure to beopposed. I have also discovered that the strongest and most positiveresistance to an outward and lateral movement of the plate is found whenthe flanges are so arranged as to present to each other a bindingresistance when they are driven into the heart of the tie. Ashereinbefore related, the wood of the tie in this case becomes a wedgebetween the flanges, the wedge shape preventing any movement of theplate. of the tie for this purpose is important for the reason that itis the hardest and most enduring portion. Another feature which I haveobserved in this connection is the importance of the angle at which theflanges are arranged. I have discovered that the angle at which theflanges are arranged in the plate illustrated in my drawingsaccompanying this IIO The use of the heart application is the bestarrangement for the purpose, for the reason that in this position theflanges readily sink into the wood of the tie, for the reason that theyare not greatly out of parallel with the grain of the wood of the tie.lVhere they cross a number of such fibers, the difficulty of driving orpressing the flanges into the wood is greatly increased This is aserious difficulty, for unless the flanges sink into the wood readilythe under side of the plate will not restfirml y on the surface of thetie, in which case the plate is rendered worse than useless. I havetherefore made the flanges tapering to an edge, to facilitateintroduction, and arranged them at an angle which permits theirintroduction into the wood of the tie with the least resistanceconsistent with. their divergence for purposes heretofore described.

'With reference to the lugs on the top of the plate, which serve asabearing for the outside edge of the base of the rail, I have observedthat the best results are obtained by placing those lugs at the cornersof the plate on the outside thereof, for the reason that ample space isthen left between the lugs in which to introduce the spikes, and,furthermore, economy of construction is found over those tieplates wherethe lug is carried all the way across the plate, and this arrangement ofthe lugs admits of the more convenient and ready introduction andremoval of the spike, without danger of breaking or bending the plate.

Another and fundamental difficulty which has been encountered in makinga practical and commercial tie-plate has been the expense ofconstruction. Unless such plates can be made very cheaply they are of nopractical use. To accomplish this end I have so arranged my plate thatit can be made very light in weight, and at the same time it is soconstructed that it can be rolled or stamped out by the well-known dieprocesses, and thus great economy of manufacture is found. I considerthis an important feature of my invention.

I distinguish my invention from the prior state of the art in that lclaim a combination of elements in my tie-plate which I consideressential to the construction of a practical and commercial tie-plate.

I am aware that others have made tie-plates with flanges arrangedobliquely to the longitudinal axis of the plate, but the purposes andoperation of such flanges have been different from mine, and without thebeneficial results that I attain-that is to say, the gripping of theheart of the tie, and the strengthening of the plate under the lines ofthe outside of the rail, the arrangement of lugs on top of the plate,and the economy of manufacture which I have described.

l. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate provided withflanges on the under side thereof, said flanges being arranged in linesslightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and divergingtoward the outside of the plate, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate provided withfianges on the under side thereof, said flanges being arranged in lines,slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and divergingtoward the outside of the plate, and so disposed as to cross the linesof the outside or base of the rail, to brace the plate beneath theselines, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate providedwithfour flanges on the under side thereof arranged in lines slightlyoblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and diverging toward theoutside of the plate, two of such flanges locatedbeneath and across theline of the outside of the rail, and two beneath and across the line ofthe inside of the rail, to brace the plate beneath the base of the rail,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

a. As a new article of manufacture, a rail road tie plate, provided withfour flanges on the under side thereof arranged in lines slightlyoblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate, and diverging toward theoutside of the plate, two of such flanges located beneath and across theline of the inside of the rail to brace the plate beneath the base ofthe rail, and also provided with two lugs, one at each corner of theoutside of the plate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate consisting of ametal plate provided' on the under side thereof with the flanges a5, a,al, and a8, arranged in lines slightly oblique to the longitudinal axisof the plate, diverging outwardly and in the position shown, and twolugs co3, and a4, on the top of the plate, and spike-holes, a and a2,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

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Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York.,this 10th day of November, A. I). 1894.

LEWIS A. BOI/VER. lVitnesses Louis HICKS, EDWARD J. MCGUIRE.

